More Seven Mile Beach NP Autumn Orchids Recce : March 11 2023

A slow start to day trying to ignore the dog. Not my job, ignore. Did not work that way - I had to walk Charlie. Have a friend coming for dinner - cooking something different. Got the prep done for sous vide before we drove up to Berry

Old dairy converted to a delicacy shop and coffee bar. A little shopping done for dinner - fresh vegetables

Prep done on duck breasts - salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, rosemary from the garden. 90 minutes at 145F in sous vide

Pork rashers marinaded in ketjap manis, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, a little vinegar. Into sous vide for 7 hours at 145F. Cooking two meats with one sous vide - find the compromise temperature and adjust the time

More Berry scenes - popped in to buy some veges for dinner and to watch the Sydneysiders come to town

Went for a ride to walk the next segment of the National Park doing recce for autumn orchids

Bush is being overtaken by native violets - they crowd out the orchids - pretty they are

The bug at the tip of this grass seed caught my eye - spider

The walk mission was to find autumn orchids without expecting any to be flowering. Greenhood - third leaf forming

Edges of the leaf suggests this is a different species of greenhood

Acianthus orchid leaf

Two orchids in frame

Fourth leaf forming

Popped out onto Seven Mile Beach - looking north to Gerroa

Looking south to Shoalhaven Heads

Kept walking north until the lantana thicket - mushroom action

A few greenhoods close to the car park

Pea flower

Pea flower leaf - thinking twining glycine.

Greenhood poking its nose through the leaf litter

Chatted with two other track users - got two candidates for orchid spotting

I will not give up on the little lobelia - so small to get a solid photo

Good ride - front half into the wind and then a break downwind

Strimmed the lawns when I got back

Dinner progress out of the sous vide - duck breasts

Pork rashers

Use the barbecue and frying pan to finish off

Duck was perfect - 145F at 90 minutes. Pork rashers maybe better at 5 hours and not 7. Sure did render the fat away

Cracked open a 1998 Rymill Cabertnet - one of the best Coonawarra years

Had a good dinner. Our friend appreciated it - she is facing tough times. That is what friends are for.

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